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            A new world

            Football 7-a-side

            Buy Tickets Here
            Deodoro Stadium
            Technique, tough tackling and lots of goals, football 7-a-side has been thrilling Paralympic Games fans since 1984. Played by athletes with cerebral palsy, in Rio there will be eight men’s teams battling for the title.
            Spectator's Guide - Football 7-a-side
            • Football 7-a-side

            About

            About

            Aim of the game

            A version of the world’s most popular sport adapted for players with cerebral palsy, with two teams of seven players trying to put the ball in their opponent’s goal, while defending their own

            Why should you watch this?

            You will be blown away by the athleticism and skills of the players, and thrilled by the open, attacking play

            Venues

            Deodoro Stadium

            International Federation

            IFCPF

            Paralympic debut

            New York / Stoke Mandeville 1984

            Rules
            • Nutmeg

              Nutmeg

              When a player outwits his opponent by knocking the ball through his legs

            • Injury time

              Injury time

              Time added on to a match by the referee to compensate for time loss when the ball is not in play (also known as ‘stoppage time’)

            • Sliding tackle

              Sliding tackle

              Matches are fiercely contested and players do not hold back when it comes to leaving their feet and sliding into challenges

            Impress your friends

            • The first international football 7-a-side competition took place in 1978 in Edinburgh, Scotland, during the third edition of the Cerebral Palsy International Games

              The first international football 7-a-side competition took place in 1978 in Edinburgh, Scotland, during the third edition of the Cerebral Palsy International Games

            • The Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) was founded to manage the sport in 1978

              The Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) was founded to manage the sport in 1978

            • The first world championship was held in 1982 in Denmark

              The first world championship was held in 1982 in Denmark

            • While the Dutch football team of Cruyff and co thrilled the world during the 1970s, the Netherlands 7-a-side team’s won three Paralympic golds in a row: 1988, 1992 and 1996

              While the Dutch football team of Cruyff and co thrilled the world during the 1970s, the Netherlands 7-a-side team’s won three Paralympic golds in a row: 1988, 1992 and 1996

            • Ukraine (two golds and two silvers) and Russia (two golds, one silver, one bronze) have medalled at the last four editions of the Paralympic Games

              Ukraine (two golds and two silvers) and Russia (two golds, one silver, one bronze) have medalled at the last four editions of the Paralympic Games

            • Because there is no offside rule, matches are open and exciting, with teams able to adopt a more direct attacking style

              Because there is no offside rule, matches are open and exciting, with teams able to adopt a more direct attacking style

            • Great Britain striker Michael Barker played alongside Wayne Rooney at the Everton youth academy, but after a bus accident he became a star of 7-a-side football

              Great Britain striker Michael Barker played alongside Wayne Rooney at the Everton youth academy, but after a bus accident he became a star of 7-a-side football

            • Players are assigned roles compatible with their capabilities e.g. FT5 class players, who have limited kicking ability, are often goalkeepers

              Players are assigned roles compatible with their capabilities e.g. FT5 class players, who have limited kicking ability, are often goalkeepers

            Duration

            Matches consist of two halves of 30 minutes.

            In the semi-final and final matches, if the scores are level after 60 minutes, two periods of 10 minutes of extra time will be played.

            If nobody wins in extra time, the match is decided by a penalty shoot-out.

            Differences

            There are two main differences in the rules of Football 7-a-side compared with the traditional game:

            - There is no offside

            - Throw-ins may be taken by rolling the ball onto the pitch with one hand (players can also use the traditional two-handed method)

            Stats

            Top Medalists

            Men
            RUS
            RUS             		2 2 1 5
            UKR
            UKR             		2 2 0 4
            NED
            NED             		3 0 0 3

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